What being rescued taught me
Last week Thursday (2 April 2015) a group of 7 of us departed for the majestic Emerald Pools in the Groendal wilderness for what was supposed to be 4 days of relaxation and fun. Bearing in mind that the last time we hiked this 16km trail of fun, the temperatures soared to above 40ºC and dehydration and cramping were a very real issue, we would naturally want cooler and more bearable weather this time.
Thankfully, during our hike to the cave where we slept, the weather was pure bliss and we were able to reach the cave in a record 6½ hours. However, the weather for our journey back on Sunday (5 April 2015) had some fun in store for us. As responsible hikers, we checked the weather multiple times before our departure and the only flag that was raised was the possibility of rain on Sunday afternoon due to the cold front lurking in front of Cape Town at the beginning of the weekend. However, this rain decided to grace us with its presence during the early hours of Sunday morning. We all had no choice but to wake up and listen to this torrential downpour pouring down so hard that it formed a waterfall at the entrance to our cave. (This is where alarm bells should begin ringing in your head due to the fact that getting back safely to the rangers hut and our car required us to do 10 river crossings once we had descended down from the ridge)
We left the cave at 7h30 on Sunday morning with absolutely no idea as to what the rest of the day was going to hold for us. Walking the ridge was an interesting experience. The rain was bucketing, the wind was blowing and it was very probable that the temperatures did not exceed 10ºC. Just before we reached the end of the ridge and started our descent, we could already hear that what was once a meek stream was now a very rapidly flowing river, deafening to the ear. By the time we reached the bottom of the ridge, it dawned on us that there was no possible chance of crossing that river safely and without risking our lives. (I wish I had gotten before and after pictures of the river- in hindsight, it was probably one of the most incredible transformations I had ever seen, but I definitely did not feel that way at the time).
By this point we had been out in the cold, rainy weather for 4 hours, had had nothing to eat and were facing a very real possibility that we weren’t going to get home that night. My brother started showing signs of hypothermia and tensions between the hikers were beginning to rise.
Thankfully, one of the hikers with us had his phone and we were able to get comms initialised with rescue personnel. To cut an extremely long story short (because I really want to focus on what this rescue mission taught me), once comms were initialised we were told to walk ±10km’s (about another 2 hours) in the opposite direction to the extraction point where an army helicopter (BK117), rescue teams and medics were waiting for us.
At this point, I must just take a moment to reflect on the incredible work that these rescue teams do. They gave up their Easter Sunday to come out in the pouring rain, to fly in poor visibility, so that we could get home safely. It was probably THE most humbling experience I have ever had. Whilst it was incredible to fly in a chopper again and to finally get a ride in an ambulance as a ‘patient’, one cannot simply downplay the seriousness of the situation. If it had not been for the willingness of these teams, we would have still been down at the river where hypothermia was a very real possibility and we may not have made it out alive. I’ve said it so many times this week already, but I am SO grateful to those guys for the way in which they conducted themselves in our rescue mission.
Now that we’re home safely and we’ve had a few days to process this experience, here is what I have learnt:
Note: I am going to be completely vulnerable here, so please bear with me and my honesty.
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
God is truly incredible. To be completely honest, I was stressing so much in the run-up to this hike. The memories of the heat and dehydration from the last time I hiked this trail were still all too real for me and I was so worried that we may be caught out by the heat again.
But this is where my incredible God comes in. As we were running out the door on Thursday morning, I noticed a sticky note on my desk with the verse of Deuteronomy 31:8 written on it and that was exactly what I need to read before we headed off. I’m not the world’s best memoriser of Bible verses, but this once stuck with me throughout the weekend, especially on Sunday.
A reporter from the Herald asked me if there was ever a point during the whole ordeal on Sunday where I was scared- scared for our safety and/or scared of being trapped down at the river- and my answer was ‘no’. As completely batty was it sounds, I had the oddest peace about me throughout the day on Sunday. When my fellow hikers questioned whether anyone would actually be sent to rescue us or whether we would have to spend the night, I knew that we were going to make it out that day because of the promise God had left for me on Thursday morning.
He truly went before us, He never left us nor did He forsake us. It was because of Him that I did not fear or question why we were trapped.
2. Stop living a mediocre life!
This is a concept which I have been wrestling with SO much lately. (I think I even blogged about it a few months back). We are so comfortable in our small little worlds, doing the same things day in and day out, being friends with the people who we’re expected to be friends with and not willing to take risks or to live the extraordinary lives we have been called to live.
I was reading a book by David Pratt (open to correction about his name) called ‘Follow Me’ in the cave this weekend. The whole concept of this book was about the greatest commandment Jesus left for us before he ascended to Heaven. “Go and make fishers of men”. This is our ultimate calling in our lives as Christians, to go out into the world and bring people to Jesus. Many people (myself included) don’t want to follow this mandate wholeheartedly because more often than not it involves judgement and persecution. But did the greatest prophets and apostles of the Bible not end up dying or being imprisoned because of their relentless pursuit in brining countless people to know God?
I only managed read 50 pages of that book, but I have been so challenged to re-evaluate my life and whether I am actually following through with the mandate I have been given as a Christian.
It’s time, now more than ever, to be courageous Christians who aren’t deterred by the things of this world.
3. Don’t take people for granted
This is another thing which I feel very strongly about and something which stood out very evidently to me this weekend. I’m not going to say much about this but I will say this: be friends with the people who value you and the friendship you have with them. Are you just a convenient friend who is only needed at certain times or are you a friend who, regardless of the circumstance, is valued and appreciated beyond all doubt?
4. It’s okay to not be okay!
I hate being seen as weak. It’s probably one of the biggest insecurities I have. And by weak I mean admitting that you’re not okay, by admitting that you need help, by simply crying in the presence of others. I hate doing that and it definitely isn’t the healthiest thing either.
I thought I had managed to escape the memories from Sunday because I thought I had handled myself well throughout the day. I have never been so completely and utterly wrong in my entire life.
I realise that Sunday wasn’t as traumatising or life-threatening as some other situations can be, but flip it still affected me. I knew this due to the fact that sleeping at night just wasn’t an option and even just thinking of going on another hike, especially to the same place, caused me to have mini panic attacks.
I usually try to work things out on my own and I don’t like asking for help or talking about it with other people. But I realised this week that sometimes you HAVE to, regardless of whether you want to or not, you simply have to. I say this because after I had a long chat with someone on Wednesday night about it, I’m now sleeping right through the night without any nightmares or flashbacks. The panic attacks when I think about hiking are still there, but they are much fewer and less intense.
I realise that it’s normal to fall into a bit of a slump after an experience like the one we had, but the most important thing is that you climb out of it stronger than before. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going hiking anytime soon again, it just means that I’m better equipped to handle myself and my emotions.
5. You are stronger than you realise and more capable than you think you are.
Never in a million years did I think I would manage to walk for 10 hours in pouring rain and freezing conditions, having had no food or rest during that time. Never did I think I would handle being lowered out of a helicopter 15m above ground with just a winch holding me. (Granted, I didn’t handle that aspect all too well, considering the fact that I latched onto one of the paramedics legs and wouldn’t let go when I saw the winch- probably not my best moment). But I did it. And I can now laugh at those memories, especially the memory of my tripping and falling whilst running to the helicopter, because I overcame them.
I hope I have been able to encourage you in some aspect or another through what I have shared with you. Getting over an experience like this is not an easy one and I know it will take time, but as long as you keep on keeping on, it will soon pass.
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